Recipes for Sausage and Lentils with Spiced Figs & Crostini with Gorgonzola and Spiced Figs

It’s nearly August and the peas are just coming into bloom. Usually, we’d've been eating them for weeks, but this year the weather has been unseasonably cold and rainy. The local newspaper is referring to it as “the so-called summer of ‘08.”

Blame it on La Niña. When the ocean off Peru is 2 to 4 degrees lower than normal, as it has been this year, the “La Niña” weather pattern brings cool weather to Alaska.

Most food sold here comes from “outside,” the Alaska word for the world beyond our state. Walking through supermarket produce sections, full to the gunnels with summer fruits and vegetables, it’s clear that outsiders are enjoying summer weather.

Last week Costco had pallet-loads of fresh fruit from California, including the first figs of the season to arrive in Alaska. I’m a sucker for figs, and these were in perfect condition.

We ate them plain, stuffed with cheese, and wrapped in prosciutto. But with the final six figs, in honor of our “so-called summer,” I wanted to make something warming.

Time to pull out one of the recipes on my “must try someday” list: Sausages and Lentils with Spiced Figs from Diana Henry’s book Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons.

The combination of sausages, lentils, and spiced figs was wonderful. Even my husband, who typically doesn’t like fruit and meat together, thought the figs added terrific flavor to the dish. It was one of those meals where I actively enjoyed every bite.

The recipe made more figs than we could eat in one meal. The leftovers were a fortuitous kitchen bonus that I used to make Crostini with Gorgonzola and Spiced Figs.

The piquant flavor of blue cheese blended seamlessly with the spiced figs. It was so good I want always to keep a jar of spiced figs in the refrigerator for quick and easy last-minute appetizers. Each bite was a flavor revelation.

Sausages and Lentils with Spiced Figs
Serves 4
Adapted from Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons: Enchanting Dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa by Diana Henry (Mitchell Beazley 2002)
Spiced figs enhance the flavors of earthy lentils and succulent sausage. Be sure to serve the figs in a bowl on the side, so diners can eat as many or as few as they like. Although I modified Diana’s sausage and lentil recipe for our palates (the below recipe is as modified), I followed her directions for the spiced figs. They were delicious, though next time I’ll simplify the recipe by using equal quantities of red and balsamic vinegars; sherry vinegar’s flavor is lost in the mix. Not all figs need to be peeled; I peel only when the fig skins are beat-up or unusually thick.

Spiced Figs:
12 – 15 fresh figs
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Sausages and Lentils:
3 pieces thick-cut bacon
4 bratwurst or other fresh pork sausages
2 cups diced onions (1/2” dice)
1/2 cup diced carrots (1/4” dice)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup small lentils, such as Puy or beluga
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 cup white wine
3 - 4 cups chicken stock

Make the Spiced Figs: Peel the figs, if necessary, and cut them in half. Mix the vinegars, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the figs, cut side down and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, turn the figs over, and let them cool in the saucepan.

Make the Sausages and Lentils: Cut the bacon into thin, cross-cut strips. In a large pot, cook the bacon until it’s crispy. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels. Brown the sausages on all sides (there’s no need to cook them through) and remove to a plate.

In the same pan, sauté the onions and carrots, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in the bacon fat, being sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the onions soften and start to turn golden, stir in the lentils, garlic, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, 3 cups chicken stock, bacon, sausages, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 – 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. If the lentils dry out as they cook, add the remaining stock. When the lentils are done, taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Serve immediately with the spiced figs in a bowl on the side.

Crostini with Gorgonzola and Spiced Figs
If you keep spiced figs as a refrigerator staple, this appetizer can be quickly put together for 2 or 20.

Thinly sliced artisan-style bread
Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
Spiced figs (see above recipe)

Lightly toast the bread and cut into 2" pieces. Spread it with gorgonzola. Top with a piece of spiced fig.
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This is my entry for My Legume Love Affair: Second Helping, an event created and hosted by Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook. The deadline for legume entries is August 24.

Recipe: Thyme-Braised Lentils with Petimezi and Pan-Fried Salmon (Φακές με Πετιμέζι και Σολομός στο Tηγάνι)

My name is Laurie and I’m an ingredient junkie.

I’m hopelessly attracted to unusual food items. Some people like to shop for shoes, others for jewelry, and others for tools. For me, the only shopping I truly enjoy is for ingredients.

When we go on vacation, visiting local grocery stores is always one of the highlights. I wander the aisles, my eyes scanning the shelves, and my heart skipping a beat when I find interesting regional specialties.

After a trip to Nashville, I came home with White Lily soft wheat flour. In Victoria B.C., locally made blackberry port took pride of place in my luggage. On our last trip to Italy, truffle cheese and Castelluccio lentils from Norcia in Umbria were my favorite purchases.

My family feeds this addiction on birthdays and holidays. Aged balsamic, specialty salts, salumi, and imported cheeses are some of the presents that helped expand my gastronomic horizons.

My sister-in-law recently sent a bottle of Italian saba. It was labeled as “saba dressing” and “condimento alimentare balsamico agrodolce.” I understood this to mean the bottle contained some kind of sweet and sour dressing, but exactly what it was, I had no idea. It was the perfect present: an ingredient I’d never heard of and had no idea how to use.

When I shook the packaging, I was relieved to find a multilingual descriptive pamphlet, with recipes. I learned saba is grape must syrup and, according to the manufacturer, was popular with early Greeks and Romans. Aha. My mind clicked into gear. Saba is the Italian equivalent of petimezi, Greek grape must syrup and a specialty of the island where we have a home.

I took out a jar of petimezi and tasted it side by side with saba. Both have the consistency of light maple syrup, and both are made exclusively with grape must. Their flavors differ slightly: saba is a little sweeter than island petimezi, which is sweet, but with a welcome hint of subtle bitterness.

On the island, petimezi is traditionally served with homemade noodles or used to make cookies, cakes, puddings, and preserves. Sometimes it is eaten with yogurt in lieu of honey. All these dishes highlight petimezi’s sweetness.

The pamphlet recommended using saba with onions, beans, meat, or vegetables, in addition to sweets. My mind started racing with possibilities for using petimezi in savory foods. I’ll investigate this intriguing concept when next we’re on the island to find out whether there are any traditional savory uses of petimezi.

In the meantime, I’ve been experimenting with saba and petimezi; the two ingredients are interchangeable. One of my most successful experiments was adding must syrup to braised lentils, a dish I like serving with salmon. The syrup’s sweet and tart flavors provide a lovely contrast to oil-rich salmon.

Thyme-Braised Lentils with Petimezi and Pan-Fried Salmon (Φακές με Πετιμέζι και Σολομός στο Tηγάνι)
Serves 4
For the vast majority of people who don’t have grape must syrup in their pantries, thyme or other strong-flavored honey can be successfully substituted. The recipe calls for salmon fillets, which I prefer serving when entertaining. But my favorite bits of salmon, shown in the photograph, are the trimmings left after filleting a whole salmon. The flesh close to the bone is full of flavor and, because the small pieces cook quickly, remains moist and juicy. For anyone with access to whole fish, this is a wonderful way to use up parts of the fish that are too often thrown in the garbage. If you have leftover lentils, add vegetable or chicken stock to make a wonderfully flavorful soup.

12 ounce salmon fillet
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cup lentils, preferably beluga or Puy
1 cup diced shallots, 1/4” dice
1/2 cup diced carrots, 1/4” dice
1/2 cup diced celery, 1/4” dice
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp. minced thyme
1 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 Tbsp. petimezi or saba, or 2 tsp. thyme honey
1/4 cup minced parsley

Wash the salmon and dry it well. Using needle-nosed pliers, remove as many pin-bones from the fillet as possible. Skin the fish, if necessary, and cut it into 4 even pieces. Lightly season the salmon on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the lentils and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, or just until the lentils soften, but are not cooked all the way through. Drain and reserve.

Sauté the shallots, carrots, and celery, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in 2 Tbsp. olive oil until the shallots soften and begin to turn golden. Stir in the thyme and red wine and cook, stirring, until the wine is almost absorbed. Stir in the stock and petimezi, saba, or honey, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 20 – 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, but not mushy.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a pan until it is hot, but not smoking. Turn the heat to medium high, and add the salmon. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes, or until the pan side of the salmon is lightly browned. Turn over and cook for 1 - 3 minutes, or until the salmon is done to your taste. The exact length of cooking time depends on the thickness of the fillet; keep in mind that salmon tastes better slightly underdone than it does when it's overdone. (If you’re using salmon trimmings, the fish cooks in 2 minutes total.)

To serve, put some lentils on a plate, top with the salmon, and sprinkle with minced parsley. Dried black olives and crusty bread are terrific accompaniments.

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This is my entry for Heart of the Matter #13 Party Food, a collection of heart-healthy recipes, organized by Joanna of Joanna's Food, Michelle of The Accidental Scientist, and Ilva of Lucullian Delights.

Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper, Fennel, and Lentil Soup (Κόκκινες Πιπεριές, Μάραθο, και Φακές)

Roasted red peppers are a staple in my kitchen.

When simply dressed with olive oil and a splash of good quality balsamic vinegar, roasted peppers make an easy, flavorful appetizer. As a side dish, they perk up even the most pedestrian meal.

My favorite way to roast peppers is over a wood fire. In summer, we often cook over an outdoor grill. The best time to roast peppers is shortly after starting the fire, when the flames are still too high for grilling. With an active flame, pepper skins char quickly, leaving the flesh perfectly cooked.

In summer, peppers are in season and I buy them in quantity. We roast and peel all the peppers at one time, and freeze them in individual plastic sandwich bags. I use frozen roasted red peppers all winter to add an extra layer of flavor to soups and sauces.

When it’s too cold to cook outside, the easiest way to roast one or two peppers is directly over a gas burner. This is what I did last week when I wanted to enhance lentil soup with roasted red peppers, but had used up my entire frozen supply.

The rich, smoky taste of peppers dramatically improves an otherwise straightforward lentil soup. Because I pureed the peppers, their flavor permeated every bite without overpowering the fennel and lentils.

Since only two of us were eating, I had enough soup to freeze for another day. I’m looking forward to it.

Roasted Red Pepper, Fennel, and Lentil Soup (Κόκκινες Πιπεριές, Μάραθο, και Φακές)
Serves 4 - 6
Some jalapeño peppers are spicy, while others are quite mild. Taste the jalapeños before adding them to the soup, and adjust the amount accordingly.

3 cups diced onions, 1/2” dice
1 cup diced carrots, 1/2” dice
1 cup diced celery, 1/2” dice
1 cup diced fennel bulb, 1/2” dice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 cup lentils, any kind (picked over to remove detritus and rinsed)
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 red bell peppers, roasted and peeled (see NOTE below)
1 – 2 jalapeño or other spicy pepper, roasted and peeled (optional) (see NOTE below)

Sauté the onions, carrots, celery, and fennel bulb, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in olive oil until the onions soften and begin to turn golden. Stir in the garlic, Aleppo pepper, and fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the lentils and stir until they are coated with oil. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, but not mushy.

While the soup is simmering, puree the roasted peppers and jalapeños in a blender or food processor. When the lentils are tender, stir the pureed peppers into the soup. Serve immediately.

NOTE on Roasting Peppers: The traditional method of roasting peppers is over a hot wood fire, but you can also roast them on a gas grill, directly on a gas burner, under the broiler, or by baking in a 450° oven for 30 minutes. Unless you are baking them, turn the peppers frequently to ensure the skins char evenly and the flesh beneath doesn’t overcook. When the skin is completely blackened, place the peppers in a brown paper bag or plastic wrap covered bowl. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, poke a hole in each pepper’s bottom and reserve any liquid inside for adding to the soup. Peel away the peppers’ burnt skin, gently scraping away any stuck bits with a knife. Don’t rinse the peppers in water, as doing so washes away too much flavor. Remove and discard the stem, seeds, and any white pulp inside the pepper.

NOTE on Storing Roasted Peppers: Roasted peppers can be refrigerated and stored in a glass jar, topped with olive oil, for about a week. They also freeze well sealed in portion-sized sandwich bags.
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This is my entry for No Croutons Required hosted by Lisa's Kitchen and Tinned Tomatoes.

Recipe: Red Lentil and Bulgur Soup with Mint and Lemon - Ezo Gelin Çorbasi (Σούπα της Νύφη Έζο)

Ezo, good natured and beautiful, married badly - twice. Her life was so tragic, it became a legend.

Ezo was born in 1909 in the village of Dokuzyol in southeastern Anatolia, now Turkey. The house where Ezo lived was on an ancient caravan route.

Ezo’s family stored their water in a large jug outside the front door. When dry and dusty travelers wanted a drink, Ezo graciously served them.

Tales of Ezo’s beauty spread along the caravan route. Soon, camel drivers were stopping by Ezo’s house to see her lovely face and spend time in her company. This happy time came to an end when she was 20. Her family arranged Ezo’s marriage to a man who was in love with someone else.

After the wedding, Ezo’s husband ignored her and left her alone while he trailed after the woman he truly loved. For Ezo, who was used to being cherished, this was intolerable. After a year, she returned to her family and divorced her husband.

Ezo remained single for six years, at which time her family arranged a second marriage to a cousin who lived across the border in Syria. Though Ezo had six daughters in Syria, she remained homesick for her family and village. Adding to Ezo’s misery was a mother-in-law who couldn’t be pleased.

Ezo died at 46. She was buried, at her request, on a hill looking north to the Turkish village she missed so badly. After a bureaucratic battle between Turkey and Syria,Ezo's remains were removed from her Syrian grave in 1999, and she was reburied in her home village of Dokuzyol.

Ezo’s tragic life has been popularized in Turkey through song, film, and television. Though her life was spent in hardship, Ezo became the emblem of traditional values: love, honor, pride, beauty, longing for homeland, and patience.

Cementing Ezo’s role in Turkish culture is a soup named for her: Ezo Gelin Çorbasi (The Bride Ezo’s Soup). Some say Ezo created the soup to placate her miserable mother-in-law, successfully or unsuccessfully, depending on who’s telling the story.

Others say the soup is named for Ezo because, like the soup, her example strengthens women for the many challenges of married life. In Turkey, women eat Ezo Gelin Soup right before their wedding.

Red Lentil and Bulgur Soup with Mint and Lemon - Ezo Gelin Çorbasi (Σούπα της Νύφη Έζο)
Serves 4 - 6
This mildly spicy soup is quick and easy, yet packed with flavor and very filling. Savory pepper and mint oil is drizzled over the soup just before serving, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a refreshing tang. In Turkey, Ezo Gelin Soup is sold in most kebab houses, eaten for breakfast, and used to cure hangovers. It is low in fat, full of legumes and grains, and very heart-healthy. Aside from all that, it tastes delicious. I served this with Algerian Flatbread.

Soup:
1 cup red lentils
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups diced onion, 1/8” dice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1 Tbsp. hot paprika
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup bulgur
6 – 8 cups beef or vegetable stock

Topping:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. dried mint
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper (optional)
Lemon wedges

Make the soup: Spread out the lentils on a tray and pick through them to remove any little stones, clumps of dirt, and chaff. Rinse and drain the lentils.

Sauté the onion, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, until it softens and starts to turn golden. Add the garlic, Aleppo pepper, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the lentils, bulgur, and 6 cups of stock, bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils and bulgur are tender and the soup has a creamy consistency.

If you prefer your soup smooth, puree it with a stick blender. If the soup is too thick, add all or some of the remaining stock. Taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed.
Make the topping: Warm the olive oil in a small pan; don’t get it too hot or it will burn the mint. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint and Aleppo pepper.

Serve the soup with the topping drizzled over it and lemon wedges on the side.
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The is my entry for Heart of the Matter: Soup hosted by Joanna's Food.